The NFL is not considering dropping Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl halftime headline performer, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, reaffirming a decision to put the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage — a decision that led to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his supporters.
Goodell addressed the Bad Bunny question at his news conference following the annual fall owners meeting. It’s the first time he’s commented on the decision, announced in late September. The choice has garnered worldwide attention, including both an increase in streams of Bad Bunny’s music — and backlash.
“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”
The 31-year-old, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, has been vocal in his opposition to Trump and his policies. He decided to do a 31-day residency in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, though he avoided stops in the mainland U.S., citing concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos.
He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.
Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swag to the NFL’s biggest stage next year: headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. However, the Puerto Rican artist has been critical of Trump-era immigration policies and ICE tactics, and some conservatives see his selection as a political statement.
Trump says he’s ‘never heard of’ popular artist
“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” Goodell said, acknowledging there could be more talent added to the lineup along with Bad Bunny. “He understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. It is unclear if Trump plans to be there, though he has made appearing in person at major sporting events a significant part of his second term in the White House.
The NFL remains committed to featuring Bad Bunny as its Super Bowl halftime show headliner, commissioner Roger Goodell said at a news conference following the league’s fall meeting. ‘I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment,’ Goodell said in response to a reporter’s question about criticism over the selection and what went into the decision.
In an interview on conservative news network Newsmax, Trump said he’d “never heard of” Bad Bunny.
“I don’t know who he is,” Trump said. “I don’t know why they’re doing it. It’s, like, crazy. And then they blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Goodell defended the decision on Wednesday, explaining it was made because of Bad Bunny’s immense popularity.
“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.”
